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Anyone in the San Antonio, TX area already have a Roadster or waiting for a Model S? I'm waiting on a Model S myself. Thanks.

Jim7 | July 4, 2009

Waiting on a Model S as well.

dsm363 | July 6, 2009

Cool. At least 2 of us in San Antonio waiting then.

you can send me an e-mail at if you want. I wonder if there are any Roadster owners in San Antonio?

jenniferh | August 16, 2009

I got my 2010 Roadster last week...near Boerne.

Tom

dsm363 | August 20, 2009

Awesome. Congrats. I'm going to Chicago in 2 weeks to test drive a Roadster while I wait for my Model S.
Thomas3: feel free to send me an e-mail. We should try and get San Antonio area Tesla Roadster owners/Model S waiters together at some point.

KGB | September 21, 2009

Tom,

Regarding your roadster, what did they promise you regarding service? Do you have to ship it back to CA? I placed a deposit, but I'm awaiting assurances regarding service before I send my car for production? Did you have them make any modifications to the purchase contract?

Ken
Houston, TX

(Also, what model is yours? Is it a Roadster 2?)

jenniferh | September 21, 2009

Ken,

Here's my experience: In mid-August the HPC failed. Tesla shipped a replacement HPC promptly and offered to pay an electrician to reinstall it. (I had to rely on the 120 volt connector for several days. Although not ideal, it at least kept the battery charged for 30-40 miles a day driving. In hindsight, I would order the mobile 240 volt connector instead since it will handle all my recharging needs at home and on the road, if needed).

My Tesla contact (Angie) has been very prompt in answering questions. I have a couple of issues Tesla has promised to take care of with a Miami based service tech. My driver's side window stops well short of full-up...the vertical positioning requires the door panel to be removed and Tesla wants it to be done with their technician (window tilt can be handled with a simple owner adjustment).

My JVC FM/AM/Satellite receiver hardly pulls in San Antonio stations from here in Boerne 35 miles away. The shipping box for the Sirius receiver had a "reconditioned" stamp. Tesla shipped out a new receiver package to my home without my asking.

I asked about the LDC back lighting...I can hardly read it in the day time. Before I could ask another question, they over-nighted a new instrument cluster.

This morning I encountered a "Fault" when I used the starter key to drop out of "Performance" mode after entering the interstate from a short ramp...the car disengaged from "Drive" and started coasting. I was able to rengage "Drive" and went on without further problems, although it was an exciting 10-15 seconds figuring out the warnings. Tesla wrote back right away that it seems to be a firmware issue that an update will take care of when the technician comes. (For those keeping track, I have version 4.0.59 that will be updated to version 4.1.21)

My hardtop is back ordered...Tesla said they had a supplier quality problem. I appreciate Tesla wanting to do it right...and I certainly didn't want to delay shipping my car.

None of my issues are of a very serious nature, so there hasn't been any need to see how quickly a Tesla technician would arrive. But Tesla's response has been all positive so far, im my opinion.

jenniferh | September 21, 2009

Ken...it's a 2010 Roadster Sport #603.

KGB | September 21, 2009

Tom,

Tesla clearly has been responsive to your needs, but I'm still left with some questions. Does your service tech out of Miami come to Texas to service your vehicle.

When you were sent a new instrument cluster, did you ship your vehicle or did Tesla send someone to you?

How long was your window unable to fully close before it was repaired? Someone came to your home to fix it? Did you go to a designated local repair shop?

Ken

jenniferh | September 22, 2009

Ken...The tech will be coming to my garage, the time to be arranged (I've been traveling a lot the past few weeks). I don't know how quickly the tech would come if my car were seriously disabled (maybe someone in the hinterlands away from Tesla stores has relevant experience) but I would think Tesla would have some sort of triage process to take care of the most serious first. I'm sure there are failures, hopefully very rare, that would require a vehicle to be trucked to Tesla for repairs.

If this were my only vehicle and transportation option, this arrangment clearly wouldn't work. I'm probably like a lot of other owners counting on Tesla being a successful, ongoing enterprise with more maintenance options closer to home in the future.

KGB | September 22, 2009

Tom,

I agree with you. I haven't locked in yet, because I am waiting on a response from TM first. What I glean from your posts is that you purchased the vehicle and relied on the oral representations of the sales force that your car would be serviced near your home. So far, Tesla has been honorable, and they have been servicing your vehicle near your home... even though they are under no legal obligation to do so. I know you think that the salesperson's oral representations were made part of the bargain when you relied upon them, however the Warranty specifically disclaims those exact representations. I am having Tesla's legal department look into this, because the warranty states in two places that as a condition of receiving warranty service, I must deliver my vehicle to TM at my expense. It also says in two other places that the employees of TM cannot modify the written warranty without written approval of corporate.

So, Tom, you have been lucky so far, because TM has been a "nice" company. By any chance, are you one of the people who signed up to buy the roadster at one price, and then learned that according to the contract, TM could raise the price of the vehicle at any time? Well, I'm afraid that TM may arbitrarily decide to discontinue this benevolent behavior of which you describe. In fact, the warranty specifically says that if TM undertakes benevolent behavior, they are under no obligation to continue it. They also state that just because they offer benevolent treatment to some customers, they are under no obligation to extend that to other similarly situated customers.

Before I spend $135,000 on a car "with a home service agreement," I am going to make sure that the "home service agreement" is in writing. I was just wondering if anyone else living in Texas had the foresight to get a contract modification from TM prior to purchase... I simply wonder if I am the only one. When dealing with a new, out of state, company with a new car brand and model, based on new technology, costing a lot of money, I thought other people would want assurances written down and made part of the sales contract. If others did, then it would be easier for me to get the same assurances. If I don't get those assurances as part of my contract, then I might have to allocate my $135,000 towards my second choice vehicle... yes, I would be disappointed if that were to happen, but after spending $135,000 on a vehicle, it would burn me up that I would have to pay to ship my car to california every time it needs warranty service. Also, by doing so, my gas-less vehicle would burn hundreds of gallons of diesel going back and forth.

I also believe that Tesla will be successful and open "more maintenance options closer to home." However, another concern I have, is that TM may place a repair shop in El Paso, and then tell all Texas roadster owners that we have to get service there. They would argue that they have conveniently placed a service center in our state.

So I am looking for guidance from other Texas owners to see how y'all modified your sales agreements. I want to make sure I include same or similar clauses in my contract. Thanks in advance for your help.

dsm363 | January 4, 2010

Would anyone be interested in a Austin/San Antonio meet-up next month? Maybe Feb. 5th or 6th? I was thinking maybe just grab dinner somewhere Friday night and give the area people a chance to meet.

Also, I talked with someone from Tesla. They're still hard at work trying to either get the direct dealership owner law changed or get an exemption so they can put a Tesla Store in Texas. He said they were looking at one maybe 2 stores. I'm hoping Dallas and Austin/San Antonio.

Dave

Tod | April 11, 2010

I posted it the same posting in the Austin Group but am actually closer to San Antonio so I will post here as well.

Greetings Tesla Community,

Model S Reservation #P-1794 here. I just joined the community Friday 04/09/2010 and have been reading through the blogs. Great to see all positive stories regarding the Tesla maintenance and support. I live south of Houston and also have concerns reqarding maintenance, as well as being able to find any type of charging stations away from my home. I know it will present a hurdle, but one I am confident we can overcome and support more vehicles like Tesla.

It will be some time before my fantasy car's number comes up but I will continue to check the blogs and look forward to sharing the adventure with fellow Texan's.

Regards,
Tod

dsm363 | April 11, 2010

Welcome to the waiting game! I placed my order about a year ago so hopefully almost halfway there. I can't wait for the car to arrive either and nice to hear there will be more than one Model S in the area.

Dave

Tod | April 12, 2010

Thanks for the welcome Dave. I look forward to hearing the news when your vehicle is dropped off. My daughter is currently going to University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, so we head up there on a regularly. I would love to see your car when you get it. Any idea on when you get to choose your options or details of delivery?

Regards,
Tod

dsm363 | April 12, 2010

I live about 2 miles from UIW. Options probably won't be done until 3-6 months prior to delivery. I imagine they'll know final options, prices about that same time before the first car is produced since they have to know that to start production.

Dave

Tod | April 12, 2010

Well I will be darn, that is close. I think my daughter will be out before they get to my car. My #1,794 is not many for a mass production line but Tesla will still have to get the plant operational. With their previous experience with production, they should be ahead of the game although the Roadster is definitely more specialized. I am counting on that specialization being transferred into the Model S. Just like Christmas, the wait is torture...

dsm363 | April 13, 2010

Yeah. I have people at work ask me about every week "When's the car coming?" and my answer is still "about 2 years". Can't wait to say "it's here!"
I don't think I've ever ordered something this far in advance. Kind of weird to put that much money down and then wait but it will be worth it.
Make sure you write your state senator and pushing for EV tax credits. There was a bill (Senate bill 120) that didn't make it out of finance committee in Texas last year so maybe it'll be reintroduced. I think the bill was only for hybrids though so I wrote my senator asking him to push legislation that will also give a tax break to pure EVs.

Tod | April 16, 2010

Dave - Great idea about writing my state senator to support EV credits. Texas has "somewhat" embraced wind power but solar power and alternate transportation is slow coming. Texas is still solidly entrenched in the petroleum industry. I simple say, why not have both or others to supplement. It is the philosophy to never to put all your eggs in one basket. You think we would have learned that in the last oil bust. I use this site to track someone's standing on issues for when I vote. I was tracking that bill too. I was so disappointed when the Senate bill died last year.

Down here on the coast, getting incentives or credits is even worst. I looked into solar panels for my house but the company that support my grid, Centerpoint, does not offer any incentives. My brother in-law who lives <20 miles away is on another grid maintained by Texas New Mexico. They do offer incentives. So last year when the federal govt started offering, he put in a very nice system at his house for about 1/3 the costs. (I am so green with envy!) I even called Centerpoint and tried to explain how home solar systems would add power back to the grid during peak usage, helping make the grid more stable and eliminating brownouts or rolling blackouts. The person taking my call must have thought I was a nut!

You and other TESLA future owners feel free to contact me Next time I am in San Antonio, I will drop you a line and we can bounce idea's of how to handle the long distance travel and charging, and other issues.

Best Regards

dsm363 | October 5, 2010

Just ordered a Roadster! Pretty excited.

victorpascucci_iii | April 19, 2011

I've got a reservation (#2593) for a Model S and I'd like to stay connected on local initiatives related to Tesla.

@ cattledog,and VictorPascucci
I am in the Dallas area and will travel to San Antonio Occasionally, Interested in what kind of charger you are installing and whether we can make a mutual charging network. There is some talk on other threads, but looking at where I go as well.

Cattledog | October 25, 2012

JKing - Probably NEMA 14-50, probably in the backyard, behind our gate, in the garage. Not sure how my wife would be with people dropping in for 5 hours to juice up 125 miles.

I could see if I could get my business partners to install one down town in our garage, trouble there is it requires access with a remote, or a key for the man-door. Could be good publicity move, though we are not a retail establishment.

Talking with dsm363 last night, we were trying to determine how many San Antonio reservations there are. He said there are two cars in Boerne, one in Alamo Heights (dsm's), but maybe I'd be the first in San Antonio. I'm 7006, can't be, there must be others ahead of me. Let us know if you're out there, or know of someone who is.

Got the e-mail about early delivery, hit yes, 24 hours later got the delivery button, hit yes, My official slot has now moved from Feb-Mar to Dec 15-31. I am excited but skeptical it will happen. Maybe it at least helps move me up a few weeks.

Cattledog | December 21, 2012

Skepticism is a good thing. Got a message from Tesla this week saying definitely early January now. So, I place the over/under for actually having the physical car on our physical property here in SA at February 1st.